Tuna Puri wins 2nd place at the Tournament de Tuna!

I travelled the world in my mind with ideas for a winning combination of flavors that would wow the judges during Saturday’s Tournament de Tuna.  I bounced from Portugal to Spain, Northern Africa to Greece, and I finally settled way out east in India! 

Featuring canned Portuguese tuna, Queen of the Coast was introducing its products to the USA.   The Queen herself made a graceful appearance.

It was an intimate affair – six eager contestants butting into each other in the home kitchen as we plated our promising dishes.  From left to right:  Todd Romero, Chantal Duvall, yours truly, Joni Buck, and Holly Erickson watched Jenn Molholt win with her tasty Baked tuna fritter with spicy/tangy tomato relish and avocado.   It was crispy on the outside, perfectly tender on the inside and delicious! 

After much hype on Facebook,  the romantic and adventurous Raphael made his grand appearance, fresh off his seafaring boat.  He was very handsome, charming and gracious, even when Chantal planted a big red kiss!  His accent made my legs buckle…and it looked like he was enjoying my Tuna puri! 

Pani puri is an Indian snack (chaat) found in street food carts.  A foodie friend, Jay recently introduced me to a great vegetarian restaurant in Houston called Shiv Sagar.  Their dosas are excellent and that’s where I spotted the delicate pani puri.   (Thanks Jay for steering me away from making dosas, oy!)    I picked the soft-spoken restaurant owner’s brain for information and ideas for pani puri and eventually bought a package.  They had potential -  small, hollow, crispy fried breads are the vessels for spiced vegetables and sauces.   In order to incorporate the canned tuna, I checked with my Indian connection and knowledgeable friend, Manjula.  

A vegetarian herself, Manjula described the various sauces I should use and assured me that tuna would fit right in.  Her mother’s own garam masala and a fair amount of chopped onions contributed greatly to the richness of the filling.   Willing taste-tester and an excellent cook herself, my neighbor Cheryl stated that the sweetness of the yoghurt sauce balanced the spiciness of the serrano chiles in the green sauce.  The sauces – one sweet, one sour, and one spicy; and a variety of crunchy and leafy garnishes created a complete flavor and textural sensation. 

This was my presentation.  A shot of Mango lassi completed the plate.

Thanks to Karen, Dwight, Joan and Amber at Soundworks for hosting the fun-filled affair and giving us amateur cooks an opportunity to experiment and revel in each other’s company.  Judges Brandy Graesser of Hubbell and Hudson Viking Cooking School, food marketing wiz George Darsey, and Raphael himself made positive comments and I walked off with a fantastic prize – cooking lessons at the Viking Cooking School, perfect for someone who’s always willing to experiment in the kitchen! 

Yours truly, Jenn, Raphael, Holly and the Queen of the Coast

Now to the recipe!  Start with paper-thin Pani Puri (these are made by Satyam Foods & Snacks, Inc.), and thin, crunchy sev, a vermicelli-like snack made with chick pea (gram) flour.

Here’s the filling…simple ingredients deliciously seasoned with garam masala and black mustard seeds. 

To make a hole for the filling, tap the top of one side of each puri with the back of a spoon, and then fill it with the tuna mixture.  Drizzle with Spicy green chutney, Dahi, pomegranate molasses and top with sev, chives, tomato and cilantro.  Pop the entire puri in your mouth for a blast of savory, sweet, sour and spicy heaven!

Tuna Puri   Please note that this recipe looks more complicated than it is!  You can substitute store-bought Spicy Cilantro Chutney and the rest of the components are very simple to assemble.

One bag (7.4 oz) Pani Puri (small, fried and hollow Indian breads, available at all Indian grocers)

Tuna and Chick Pea filling

1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup finely diced onion

1 – 2 teaspoons garam masala (a spice mixture available at all Indian grocers)

½ teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 cup diced fresh tomatoes, seeds removed

3 cans (6 oz/170g each) Queen of the Coast Tuna Salad with Chick Peas, or 5 oz canned tuna in oil plus 11 oz cooked chick peas

salt, to taste

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes until beginning to soften but not brown. Add garam masala and mustard seeds and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and sauté for 1 more minute. Add canned Tuna Salad with Chick Peas and stir gently until heated through. Season with salt, if necessary.

Spicy Cilantro Chutney ( substitute with store-bought chutney, if you wish)

3 green chiles such as serrano or jalapeno, stemmed and seeded

¾-inch piece peeled fresh ginger

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon oil

¼ cup water

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon sugar or jaggery (palm sugar)

1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted

1 bunch cilantro (about 5 ounces) less about 6 stems- reserve for garnish

Place all ingredients except for the cilantro in a blender. Pulse until combined and finely chopped. Add cilantro and blend until smooth. Season with additional salt if necessary.

Dahi (sweetened yoghurt)

1 cup plain yoghurt

1 tablespoon sugar or jaggery (palm sugar)

½ teaspoon pomegranate molasses

pinch of salt

Whisk yoghurt, sugar, pomegranate and salt to blend. Adjust to taste.

For the garnish:

½ cup sev, a fried vermicelli-like snack made with gram (chick pea) flour (available at all Indian grocers)

pomegranate molasses or sweet tamarind chutney (available at all Indian grocers)

¼ cup finely sliced scallions or chives

½ cup chopped fresh tomato

leaves from about 6 stems cilantro (reserved from Spicy Cilantro Chutney), finely chopped

To assemble Pani Puri

Carefully make a hole on one side of each pani puri. Fill each one about ¾ to the top with warm Tuna and Chick Pea filling. Arrange pani puri on a serving platter. Drizzle with Spicy Cilantro Chutney, Dahi, and garnishes (sev, pomegranate molasses, scallions, tomato and chopped cilantro). Serve with a shot of Mango Lassi to cool the palate!

 

Mango lassi

2 cups plain yoghurt

2 mangoes, peeled and chopped, or 2 cups frozen mango cubes

¼ cup milk

toasted and ground pistachio nuts and a slice of fresh mango for decoration

Blend yoghurt, mangoes and milk in a blender. Pour into glasses and sprinkle with chopped pistachio nuts. Serve cold.

Mango lassi – refreshing and not too sweet!

Click on the link for more pictures of the Tournament de Tuna. 

This post is my entry to the Magic Bullet To Go Giveaway, for which you can find details @ Fun and Food Cafe. You could win a Magic Bullet Food processor!  It’s easy!

Prijatno!

Queen of the Coast Tuna

I have entered a cooking contest!  My first one ever!  What was I thinking? 

I’m nervous!  I’ve cooked and baked for parties and family through the years and accepted their compliments and gentle criticisms, but I’ve never had my food judged by strangers before.   We’ll see if I have the thick skin necessary to accept any negative feedback!   What if they can’t stand my plate?  What if the presentation falls apart at the last minute?   I keep on trying to remind myself that it’s all in the name of fun, but as you can tell…I have real issues, unlike the serene beauty above!

I will participate in the Tournament de Tuna on Saturday!   It’s a means of introducing Queen of the Coast Tuna to the US.   Imported from Portugal by LaRuche Imports, Inc., the tuna comes canned in water or oil, or as ready-to-eat salads with either chickpeas; peas and carrots; black-eyed peas; and red beans and sweet corn.  All packed in easy-to-open cans, these salads stand alone as delicious and healthy meals. 

I am using the Tuna Salad with Chick Peas in my dish.  My mind is spinning with ideas and ingredients – I haven’t bought canned tuna in years because we have been enjoying the benefits of fresh tuna.  Do I play it safe with a Mediterranean dish?  Do I add a twist with Mexican flavors, Moroccan, Caribbean spices or how about a little Asian ginger and lemongrass?   As you can see, I’m all over the map but I’m narrowing it down slowly.   I can’t tell you what it will be…there are competitors lurking on this site, you know.

Karen, Joan and Amber at Soundworks have been a lot of fun as they have encouraged my friend Chantal and me along the way.   And there’s an added bonus – we will meet the mysterious and unabashedly handsome Raphael, lover of women, romance, tuna and the sea!   Follow the hype on facebook and enter the contest for a chance to win a trip to Portugal.  

And most of all - WISH ME LUCK!!!

Prijatno!

Cleverley at Crave Sushi

*What is the difference between sushi and sashimi?   **What is uni?  See answers at the end.

Those are the questions I answered correctly (but not before I consulted a couple of sites online!) for a gift certificate for lunch at Crave Sushi.  Offered by the vivacious Cleverley Stone on Facebook, favorite daughter Emilia and I took the drive from the ‘burbs to Midtown - Houston, the land of many new and hip restaurants and ever-creative cuisine. 

Known as the ‘Diva of All Things Delicious’ in foodie circles, Cleverley hosts a live show every Saturday from Noon to 1pm on CNN 650 radio.  She often selects a restaurant location to set up mobile equipment - interviews and lively discussion about food and the Houston restaurant scene ensues.  There was a lively crowd on hand that day (free lunch = happy tummies) which made listening to the show a challenge, but we shared a table with an interesting foodie couple from Sugarland (she is an aeronautical engineer at NASA – how impressive is that?) so it was fun.  Hopefully we’ll cross paths again at another Cleverley event.

Cleverley, Chef Robert Garay and Crave Sushi owner, Linny Huong

Sleek and elegant, Crave Sushi’s decorative centerpiece is a large print evocative of traditional Japanese woodcuts depicting a landscape, flowers and geisha (see first picture:  she seems cool and indifferent, but I bet she can see everything…).  Lustrous white seats contrast with black tablecloths and wall fixtures.  The cool palette continues in the blue-gray walls and a pop of brilliant color is present in the crimson napkins and tiny votive candle holders.  The restaurant is quite small but is enclosed by large windows on two sides which allows our brilliant Texas light inside.  A large mirror behind the bar adds to the feeling of spaciousness. 

A full house for lunch

Executive Chef Robert Garay, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, has created a Japanese ‘fusion’ menu that includes Kobe Beef Burgers and Soy-glazed Lamb Chops.  But Crave’s Cheetah Roll is all the rage.  The story goes that Linny Huong, the young owner of Crave and a former NCAA gymnast, placed a bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos™ in front of Chef Garay and challenged him to make a roll.  It took only six attempts and the Cheetah Roll was created with Surimi Crab Mix, Cream Cheese, Cucumber, Avocado, Sriracha, Spicy Mayo and Flamin' Hot Cheetos on the inside;  Crushed Flamin' Hot Cheetos, Wasabi Cream and Jalapeños on the outside.

Chef Robert Garay graciously offering Crave’s Cheetah Roll after the sushi demonstration.

I never buy Cheetos™ but these camouflaged hotties hit the spot!  A cool tip from Chef Robert: before cutting a sushi roll, dip the tip of your knife in water and let it run down the blade.  Now you’re ready to make a clean cut.  I also learned that, as daunting as it seems, making sushi is not that difficult.  All you need is the right equipment, the best ingredients and a little practice.  A definite challenge for me in the future! 

Seriously spicy with the jalapeño slices!

You can watch Chef Robert make the Cheetah Roll here:

During the show, we were treated to an Oriental buffet which featured Pan-seared and Steamed Pork Gyoza, Roasted Duck Breast in a Spicy Plum Sauce with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes, Ahi Poke, Scallops over Udon noodles in a Lobster-butter Sauce, Stir-fry of Shitake, Oyster and Button Mushrooms with Baby Bok Choy; and Green Tea and White Chocolate Creme Brulee. 

Cleverley graciously hopped from table to table afterward.  She is entertaining and amiable and can be found around Houston with the Cleverley Show, broadcast live on CNN 650 every Saturday from 12 noon –1pm.  She can also be seen on FOX 26 on Fridays at 8:30a.m. for Cleverley’s Weekend Dining Picks and Smooth Jazz 95.7 for “All Things Delicious” on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 3:15p.m.  For information about future shows go to her website.

Not to leave you without a recipe, here’s my version of Ahi Poke.  I like to use Ponzu instead of regular soy sauce, because Ponzu is seasoned with an Asian citrus fruit called yuzu.  It’s delicious with tuna.

 

Dragana’s Ahi Poke   Poke means ‘cut piece’ or ‘small piece’ in Hawaiian.  It’s a Hawaiian take on Japanese sashimi.

½ cup cilantro, chopped

2 scallions, finely sliced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated

2 tablespoons shallots or onions, finely chopped

1 jalapeno, finely chopped, optional (I used a red jalapeno from my plant)

4 tablespoons Ponzu (citrus-seasoned soy sauce) or soy sauce

1 teaspoon brown sugar, optional

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

Sriracha, to taste

½ teaspoon black sesame seeds

½ teaspoon sesame seeds

¾ lb fresh Ahi tuna loin, cut into ½ inch cubes

Combine all ingredients from the cilantro to the Sriracha.  Add tuna and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Serve immediately with crackers or fried wontons.

After our pleasant experience at Crave Sushi, we drove to the University Co-Op in Uptown Square, and imagine our surprise when we came across CRAVE Cupcakes.  We had a great mother/daughter hysterical laughing fit that came from the belly;  it felt soo good! 

The bakery was packed.  $3.25 per cupcake and $39 for a dozen, thank-you-very-much!  One can watch them through a glass window, meticulously icing each cupcake…Oh why didn’t I think of this concept?

*Sushi is any rice dish (su is vinegar and meshi is rice, therefore sushi).  The rice is usually seasoned with vinegar, sugar and salt.  Sashimi is sliced raw fish alone. 

**Uni is sea urchin!

Prijatno!